Tibetan monks to return to Laguna Beach

Tibetan monks are scheduled to arrive in Laguna Beach this weekend, with the public invited to take in a series of related cultural events during their 10-day visitation.

The Drepung Gomang monks will be in town April 14 through 23, making their return to the coastal community five years after their last trip.

Considered direct disciples of the Dalai Lama, the monks can be seen throughout their visit at the Sawdust Art Festival and the Neighborhood Congregational Church.

The opening ceremonies will take place at the Sawdust Art Festival on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. It is there where work will be performed daily until a sand mandala dedicated to world peace is created.

Completion of the mandala is scheduled for April 21, and there will be a dissolution ceremony shortly thereafter, serving as a reminder that nothing lasts forever.

There will also be opening and closing blessings each day, during which those in attendance will witness the monks chanting. The opening blessing occurs at 10 a.m. daily, while the festival grounds will close at 5 p.m. each evening, with the exception of Wednesday, April 17, and Saturday, April 20, when it will close at 4 p.m.

Tibetan monks chant during an opening ceremony for the creation of the White Tara Mandala at the Sawdust Art Festival in 2019.

(File Photo)

Franky Duschane, director of marketing and public relations for the Sawdust Art Festival, recalled her initial encounter with the monks during their visit in 2019.

“In January, all of our artists kind of scatter to the wind after Winter Fantasy ends, so it’s very, very quiet here on these grounds in January, typically,” Duschane said. “They were in the Healy House, which is our common room next door. … I was able to witness the mandala being constructed from the very first grain of sand, and it was truly, for me, a remarkable experience.

“It was the first time I had ever seen anything like that, let alone witnessed something like that, and I was present for that. I was present for the opening ceremony, every day starting the day with sound and ending the day with their chanting.”

Duschane said the events on the grounds do not require admission fees, and they are inclusive to people from all walks of life.

Neighborhood Congregational Church will host an introduction to Buddhism from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, April 15. The church will be the host site for an explainer session regarding the world peace mandala from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17. On Saturday, April 20, a cultural pageant from 7 to 9 p.m. will feature a mandala prayer, as well as the good luck, black hat and snow lion dances.

A dinner event with the monks will be held at Kebab Kurry from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16.

Following their weeklong project at the Sawdust Art Festival, the monks will participate in Earth Day activities on Monday, April 22. They will visit the Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano from 10 a.m. to noon. In the evening, the holy men will pray for the Earth at HeartSpaceOC at Laguna Health & Wellness in Laguna Woods.

A blessing ceremony at the Rivian South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach concludes the visit at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23.

Donations are encouraged, with all proceeds going to support the more than 2,000 monks of the Drepung Gomang Monastery in Mundgod, India.

“We feel fortunate to welcome the monks to Laguna again,” Pam Wicks, an organizer of the visit, said in a statement. “They have traveled across the United States to various communities like ours since last August. Having them as our guests to share their art, culture and blessings is a marvelous opportunity for everyone in our community to learn about this struggling nation’s history, culture and Tibetan Buddhism.”

For more information on the monks and activities surrounding their local trip, visit monksinlaguna.com.